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  • Weather Forecast: Rain and Heat Expected Across the Country
    Weather Forecast: Rain and Heat Expected Across the Country On Thursday, July 23, which marks the hottest period of the year known as Dae-seo, rain is expected across various regions of the country, accompanied by high temperatures.According to the Korea Meteorological Administration on July 22, the morning low temperatures are forecasted to range from 23 to 26 degrees Celsius, while daytime highs are expected to reach between 26 and 37 degrees Celsius.In the Seoul metropolitan area and inland Gangwon, heavy rain is anticipated in the morning, with rates of 20 to 30 mm per hour. Central regions may experience strong winds, thunder, and lightning along with significant rainfall.Expected rainfall amounts include 30 to 80 mm for Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi, the five islands of the West Sea, inland and mountainous areas of Gangwon, Daejeon, Sejong, Chungnam, and Chungbuk; 5 to 40 mm for Jeonbuk; 5 to 20 mm for northern Jeonnam; 10 to 60 mm for Daegu and Gyeongbuk; 5 to 40 mm for western inland Gyeongnam; and around 5 mm for Jeju.With heat wave warnings in effect for parts of the eastern coast of Gangwon, Chungcheong, southern regions, and Jeju, the perceived temperatures in most areas are expected to exceed 31 degrees Celsius. In regions under heat wave advisories, the perceived temperatures may reach around 33 degrees, while southern coastal areas of Gangwon, parts of Jeolla, Gyeongsang, and Jeju could see temperatures rise to around 35 degrees, necessitating caution against heat-related illnesses.Heat advisories have also been issued for southern regions and Jeju, predicting nighttime temperatures to remain above 25 degrees Celsius.Wave heights are expected to be between 0.5 to 1.5 meters in the East and West Seas, and between 0.5 to 1.0 meters in the South Sea.In the offshore waters (approximately 200 km from the coastline), wave heights are forecasted to be 0.5 to 1.5 meters in the East, West, and South Seas.Looking at the expected temperatures for major regions, morning lows are forecasted as follows: △Seoul 25 degrees △Incheon 24 degrees △Suwon 24 degrees △Chuncheon 23 degrees △Gangneung 25 degrees △Cheongju 25 degrees △Daejeon 24 degrees △Sejong 24 degrees △Jeonju 25 degrees △Gwangju 26 degrees △Daegu 25 degrees △Busan 25 degrees △Ulsan 24 degrees △Changwon 26 degrees △Jeju 27 degrees.Daytime highs are expected to be: △Seoul 27 degrees △Incheon 27 degrees △Suwon 28 degrees △Chuncheon 28 degrees △Gangneung 31 degrees △Cheongju 31 degrees △Daejeon 31 degrees △Sejong 30 degrees △Jeonju 32 degrees △Gwangju 33 degrees △Daegu 34 degrees △Busan 31 degrees △Ulsan 34 degrees △Changwon 33 degrees △Jeju 35 degrees.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-22 19:32:00
  • South Koreas Foreign Minister Emphasizes ASEAN as a Trusted Partner for AI and Cultural Cooperation
    South Korea's Foreign Minister Emphasizes ASEAN as a Trusted Partner for AI and Cultural Cooperation South Korea's Foreign Minister Park Jin stated on July 22 that "ASEAN is a trusted partner," emphasizing the need to strengthen cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), cultural industries, and transnational crime response.Speaking at the 29th Korea-ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Manila, Park noted, "In the face of global supply chain disruptions, instability in the Middle East, and rapid technological innovation, no country can ensure prosperity and security alone."He highlighted that President Lee Jae-myung has consistently stressed the importance of solidarity among reliable partners, asserting that ASEAN is precisely such a partner for South Korea.Park outlined the implementation plan for the 'Korea-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) Vision,' which focuses on being a contributor to dreams and hopes, a springboard for growth and innovation, and a partner for peace and stability, and sought support from ASEAN member states.He also announced plans to promote cooperation in building an AI ecosystem and nurturing talent based on South Korea's AI capabilities, as well as initiatives in the cultural creative industry and joint responses to scams as key collaborative projects.According to the Foreign Ministry, ASEAN member states welcomed the 'Korea-ASEAN CSP Vision' presented by President Lee at the ASEAN Summit last October and expressed hope for close cooperation with South Korea in the specific implementation process moving forward.Additionally, Park explained the government's efforts to realize a peaceful and prosperous Korean Peninsula where the North and South coexist and grow together, and ASEAN member states reaffirmed their support for the government's policies regarding the Korean Peninsula. 2026-07-22 19:24:00
  • President Lee Emphasizes Strengthening Government Responsibility in Public Healthcare
    President Lee Emphasizes Strengthening Government Responsibility in Public Healthcare President Lee Jae-myung stated that the government is continuing to review policies aimed at strengthening its responsibility in public and essential healthcare. During a meeting on regional, essential, and public healthcare held at the Blue House, President Lee expressed his hope that a proper healthcare policy would be developed by reflecting the voices from the field in a rational and feasible manner, while enhancing public responsibility.He shared his experiences from his time as a lawyer handling medical lawsuits, noting, "While arguing negligence on the part of doctors in court, I felt that the basic conditions necessary to fulfill the doctors' duty of care were not adequately met."He added, "There were times when I thought the state should be the one to compensate."President Lee emphasized that the recent gaps in public and essential healthcare must be addressed through institutional improvements for a fundamental solution, stating, "I still hold that belief today."He highlighted the importance of rationalizing the medical fee system, saying, "It is crucial to determine whether the medical fee system is properly established, and to strengthen the community's responsibility to expand public healthcare."Regarding the issue of increasing medical school enrollment, he explained that the current focus is on regional medical schools as a compromise, but he believes that after five years, it will be possible to strengthen the necessary areas.On the topic of expanding healthcare in rural areas, President Lee noted that improving the medical environment is a key element for balanced regional development and enhancing living conditions, asserting that this can also be achieved by strengthening public roles.He also emphasized that there have been some achievements in healthcare reform since the government took office.Addressing the controversy over medical school enrollment during the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, he remarked, "There was some confusion in our healthcare system for a while, but it seems that reforms are progressing to the point where people are wondering, 'How did it become so quiet?'"President Lee stated, "While not everything is complete, significant progress has been made on crucial issues such as medical school enrollment and securing essential healthcare in regions, which is a major achievement. Typically, reforms are associated with noise and conflict, but this has proven that it is possible to reach a certain conclusion through dialogue and persuasion without such turmoil."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-22 19:24:00
  • Upstage Unveils Solar Open2, Targeting Enterprise AI with 250B Model
    Upstage Unveils 'Solar Open2,' Targeting Enterprise AI with 250B Model Upstage has unveiled 'Solar Open2,' a large language model (LLM) aimed at its proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) foundation model. This model focuses on creating AI agents capable of performing real work tasks, such as document writing, Excel analysis, presentation creation, and coding, as part of its strategy to penetrate the enterprise AI market.On July 22, Upstage held a developer conference, 'Solar Open Weight Day,' where it introduced Solar Open2. The model was made available for developers through an open weight distribution via Hugging Face.Sung-hoon Kim, CEO of Upstage, stated at the event, “These days, it’s not enough to just have good conversations. If you can’t perform tasks when asked, you’re treated like a fool. That’s why we focused on developing the capabilities of AI agents.”A key differentiator of this model is the custom simulation environment called 'Officeverse,' designed to train the AI in real work settings. Officeverse creates virtual scenarios for tasks like document writing, Excel work, and PPT creation, allowing the AI to be evaluated on its accuracy in performing these tasks.Solar Open2 features a total of 250 billion parameters. It employs a Mixture of Experts (MoE) structure, activating only 15 billion parameters during the actual inference process. This design maintains high performance while reducing GPU usage and inference costs.Upstage emphasized that Solar Open2 can handle contexts of up to 1 million tokens, making it suitable for analyzing large documents such as contracts and reports in one go. The model has enhanced features necessary for implementing AI agents, including document creation, external tool invocation, and executing complex workflows.Performance competitiveness was also highlighted. According to data released by Upstage, Solar Open2 scored 92.4 on the code generation performance benchmark 'LiveCodeBench,' surpassing the scores of comparable models like DeepSpeed V4-Flash (92.3) and Mistral Medium 3.5 (84.9).With the launch of Solar Open2, Upstage plans to intensify its efforts in the enterprise AI agent market. The company aims to expand its presence in the domestic AI ecosystem, leveraging the large model development capabilities gained through participation in the government’s proprietary AI foundation model project.When asked about monetization strategies following the free release, Kim emphasized 'ecosystem expansion.' He remarked, “Right now, the most important thing in Korea is the virtuous cycle of the AI ecosystem. Our goal is for Solar Open2 to be utilized in real work environments and to be recognized as a good model, thereby creating a larger ecosystem.”He added, “Through support from the government’s proprietary AI foundation model project, we were able to develop a model of 250 billion parameters following our previous 100 billion model. Our focus is not just on creating large models but on developing practical AIs that can be used in real-world applications.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-22 19:20:00
  • Korean Partys Ethics Committee Initiates Disciplinary Procedures
    Korean Party's Ethics Committee Initiates Disciplinary Procedures 국민의힘 중앙윤리위원회가 22일 본격적인 징계 절차에 착수하면서 조경태 의원과 친한(친한동훈)계 의원들을 대상으로 한 '핀셋 징계' 가능성이 제기된다. 윤리위는 이날 오전 전체회의를 열고 보도자료를 통해 "제소된 안건에 대한 징계 기준 설정과 안건 분류 논의를 진행했다"고 밝혔다. 윤리위는 "당 대표 또는 당에 대한 단순 비판 발언은 원칙적으로 징계 대상이 아님을 명확히 했다"며 "다만 지나치게 의도성을 가지고 반복적·조직적·지속적으로 당 대표 또는 당의 정상적인 운영을 심각하게 저해하는 행위로 판단될 경우는 예외로 하기로 했다"고 했다. 앞서 윤리위는 지난 6일 6·3 지방선거 이후 첫 회의를 열어 징계안 60여건을 심의했다. 윤리위에 접수된 징계 대상은 지방선거 당시 한동훈 무소속 의원을 도운 친한계 의원들과 장동혁 대표 사퇴를 주장한 현역 의원 등이다. 특히 국회부의장 선출 과정에서 당내 경선 결과에 불복하고 더불어민주당 등에 박덕흠 부의장 후보를 낙선시켜달라고 전화해 논란을 빚은 조 의원이 주요 타깃으로 거론된다. 다만 징계 대상이 확대될 경우 당내 분란이 커질 수 있어 소수 의원을 대상으로 한 '핀셋 징계'가 이뤄질 것이라는 전망이 나온다. 당내 소장파 모임인 '대안과 미래' 간사 이성권 의원은 이날 국회에서 기자들과 만나 "윤리위가 당의 통합을 저해하고 분열과 갈등을 조장하는 징계 국면의 입구가 돼선 안된다는 것이 의원과 당원 다수의 의견"이라고 말했다. 윤리위는 빠른 시일 내 회의를 열어 징계 논의를 이어갈 방침이다.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-22 18:40:00
  • Korean Party Ethics Committee: Simple Criticism of Party Leader Exempt from Disciplinary Action
    Korean Party Ethics Committee: Simple Criticism of Party Leader Exempt from Disciplinary Action The Central Ethics Committee of the People Power Party announced on July 22 that "simple criticism of the party leader or the party is generally not subject to disciplinary action."During a full committee meeting, the committee discussed the establishment of disciplinary standards and the classification of pending cases. However, it was decided that actions that intentionally, repeatedly, or systematically undermine the normal operation of the party or its leader would be classified as exceptions.Ahead of the meeting, there was significant speculation in political circles about the possibility of initiating disciplinary action against certain individuals. In particular, there were predictions that Cho Kyung-tae, who campaigned against the election of Park Deok-heum, a lawmaker nominated through a party meeting for the position of National Assembly vice speaker, could face sanctions.Additionally, the possibility of disciplinary action against pro-Han Dong-hoon lawmakers, who supported independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon despite Park Min-sik, the former Minister of Veterans Affairs, receiving the People Power Party's nomination in the Busan North Gap by-election, was also mentioned. However, the Central Ethics Committee did not announce any specific disciplinary targets during the meeting, indicating a careful consideration process.Meanwhile, the Central Ethics Committee plans to hold its 16th meeting soon to continue discussions on the agenda. 2026-07-22 18:36:00
  • South Korean Minister Expects Papal Visit to Bridge North-South Divide
    South Korean Minister Expects Papal Visit to Bridge North-South Divide South Korea's Minister of Unification Jeong Dong-young met with Cardinal Yoo Heung-sik on July 22, expressing hope that the Pope's visit would serve as a bridge for dialogue on the Korean Peninsula, which has seen no contact or communication for the past eight years.During a luncheon meeting in central Seoul, Jeong noted that Pope Francis' visit to South Korea in 2014 provided significant comfort to a nation grieving the Sewol ferry disaster. He believes that Pope Leo XIV's upcoming visit in August 2027 will be a major blessing for peace on the Korean Peninsula.Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to visit South Korea in connection with the World Youth Day, which will take place in August 2027.Jeong stated, "Beyond political implications, I hope that young people from the North can also participate in this gathering of global youth. We will work diligently to restore trust between the North and South before the Pope's visit and ensure the World Youth Day is a success in a positive atmosphere."Cardinal Yoo explained that the Vatican's embassies around the world engage with local North Korean embassies according to the Pope's schedule and messages, adapting to the conditions of each region. He emphasized, "The Pope will visit from August 3 to 8, and the Vatican will certainly play its role and make efforts in this regard."Yoo recalled that he proposed the idea of hosting the World Youth Day to Pope Francis several years ago, citing the division of the Korean Peninsula as a primary reason. He described how young people could experience the division and peace along the 155-mile Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), suggesting that 300,000 to 350,000 participants could create a human chain from east to west. He conveyed to the Pope that if young people gather in Korea to reflect on the spirit of martyrdom and practice peace and harmony, it would hold tremendous significance. In response, Pope Francis reportedly said, "Then please pray a lot."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-22 18:32:00
  • Special Envoys Lead Tailored Practical Diplomacy and Ensure Safety of Overseas Citizens
    Special Envoys Lead Tailored Practical Diplomacy and Ensure Safety of Overseas Citizens As competition intensifies over semiconductor and battery supply chains, defense exports, nuclear energy, and artificial intelligence, the nature of diplomacy is rapidly evolving. While traditional diplomacy focused on managing inter-state relations and formal negotiations, today’s embassies have become complex forward bases that support market entry for domestic companies, identify supply chain disruptions, back large-scale contracts, and ensure the safety of citizens abroad during wars and disasters. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already established meetings for economic security officers at embassies and is urging cooperation with local businesses and relevant organizations to resolve corporate challenges. In this context, Aju Economy examines the roles and significance of overseas embassies through the current status of domestic and international ambassadors.President Lee Jae-myung pursues practical diplomacy for national interests. One of the notable features of his administration’s appointments of overseas ambassadors is the strengthening of special envoys. According to diplomatic sources on July 22, the Lee Jae-myung administration has appointed 30 to 40 special envoys to seek strategic diversification in diplomacy. Special envoys are appointed by the president to undertake specific diplomatic tasks and are typically experts rather than career diplomats. Son Hyuk-sang, the South Korean ambassador to Paraguay and a recognized expert in official development assistance (ODA), exemplifies this trend. He is the first former head of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), which oversees South Korea’s overseas grants, to serve as an ambassador on the front lines of diplomacy. Paraguay, a landlocked country in the heart of South America, is considered one of South Korea’s four key partners in Latin America, alongside Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru. Since beginning its support in 1991, South Korea has invested a total of $182.29 million in areas such as education and health by 2024. The focus is on modernizing the Paraguayan government’s administration and improving digital accessibility. The era of one-sided support from one country to another has passed. It is crucial to create a cooperative model that organically integrates South Korea’s advanced information and communication technology (ICT) and medical technology with Paraguay’s diverse development potential. The safety of citizens abroad is paramount. In March, the government executed Operation “Desert Light,” allowing citizens stranded due to the conflict between the U.S., Israel, and Iran to return home via military transport aircraft. On March 15, a KC-330 “Cygnus” multi-purpose aerial refueling transport aircraft landed at Seongnam Seoul Airport with 204 South Koreans, five foreign nationals, and two Japanese citizens, totaling 211 passengers. The Cygnus departed from Korea on the morning of the 14th, arrived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, that afternoon, and then returned to Korea with the evacuees that evening. Thorough preparations made Operation “Desert Light” possible. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Kang Shin-cheol, a former deputy commander of the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ rapid response team worked diligently to ensure the safe return of citizens in the Middle East. The government sought cooperation from over ten countries along the transport route for airspace passage. In May, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recognized 13 staff members from 13 embassies in the Middle East and 11 employees from the Overseas Crisis Response Division for their contributions to the evacuation and repatriation of South Koreans stranded in the region since the outbreak of war. The embassies involved included the South Korean embassies in Saudi Arabia, Israel, Iraq, Lebanon, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Consulate General in Dubai, Qatar, Turkmenistan, Jordan, Egypt, and Oman. The Ministry stated, “We supported the rapid and safe evacuation and return of over 6,600 South Koreans stranded in dangerous situations, including bombings.” Overseas, the diversification of ambassadors is keeping pace with rapidly changing global trends. In Japan, most ambassadors are selected from among Foreign Ministry staff, but experts from various fields and retired officials from other ministries are also appointed as ambassadors. Notable examples include former Bank of Japan Governor Akiyoshi Araki as ambassador to the U.S. and former NHK President Tetsuro Furugaki as ambassador to France. In the United States, ambassador appointments are made from senior foreign service officers who have passed selection processes and gained experience at the State Department or through political appointments by the president. There is a regulation stating that “no individual should be granted an ambassadorship due to financial contributions to political campaigns.” The definition of “diplomatic expertise” must now be rewritten. As of 2026, insights across advanced technology, capital, diplomacy, and security are essential. Special envoys with flexibility, political judgment, and unique expertise in various fields will be crucial for South Korea’s practical diplomacy to deeply permeate around the world.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-22 18:24:00
  • Cellbiotechs Duolac Achieves 13th Consecutive Year as Top Probiotic Exporter in South Korea
    Cellbiotech's Duolac Achieves 13th Consecutive Year as Top Probiotic Exporter in South Korea Cellbiotech's probiotic brand Duolac has achieved the top position in South Korea's probiotic exports for 13 consecutive years. The company continues to enhance the global competitiveness of K-probiotics based on its proprietary strains and technology.On July 22, Cellbiotech announced that Duolac has maintained its status as the leading exporter of probiotics in South Korea for 13 years.According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety's '2025 Food Production Performance Report,' the total export value of probiotics from South Korea last year was 72 billion won. Of this, Cellbiotech recorded an export performance of 29.1 billion won.This achievement is particularly significant as it comes amid a trade deficit in the health functional food industry. Last year, South Korea's imports of health functional foods reached 1.4505 trillion won, while exports totaled 452.4 billion won, resulting in a trade deficit of approximately 1 trillion won.Since the collection of related statistics began in 2013, Cellbiotech has consistently held the top position in probiotic exports. Over the past 13 years, the cumulative export value of probiotics from South Korea has reached 538.5 billion won, with Cellbiotech accounting for 26.88 billion won, or about 50% of the total.Since 2000, the company has expanded its global market based on its self-developed Korean CBT probiotics and unique technology. It currently exports to 55 countries worldwide, including Denmark, Turkey, Singapore, and Mexico.Cellbiotech's 'Dual Coating' technology protects live probiotics with a double coating of protein and polysaccharides, shielding them from stomach acid and bile salts while ensuring delivery to the intestines. According to the company, this technology has increased the survival rate of probiotics by up to 91.6%, demonstrating intestinal survival rates up to 221 times higher than non-coated probiotics in human trials.Experts advise consumers to consider the strains used, the source of ingredients, the manufacturer, verification of stability, and research evidence such as human application tests when selecting probiotic products.Cellbiotech is expanding its overseas business by supplying products tailored to the market environment and consumer characteristics of each country, based on its proprietary strains and dual coating technology. The company plans to strengthen not only finished product exports but also local partnerships and customized product development.A Cellbiotech representative stated, "Maintaining the top export position for 13 consecutive years is a result of Duolac's competitiveness being continuously recognized in the global market. We will continue to enhance the competitiveness of K-probiotics based on our unique strain development and dual coating technology."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-22 18:16:00
  • GM Union Faces Decision on New Car Allocation: South Korea or China?
    GM Union Faces Decision on New Car Allocation: South Korea or China? The Korea General Motors (GM) labor union has confirmed that the new vehicle it is demanding for domestic allocation in labor negotiations is a next-generation small sports utility vehicle (SUV) that will succeed the current Trax crossover and Trailblazer. The production locations for this vehicle are spread across South Korea and China, making the decision on domestic allocation crucial for the sustainability of Korea GM.According to industry sources, GM's Korea research and development organization, GM Technical Center Korea (GMTCK), began developing the new vehicle, designated '9B.2', in April. This vehicle is a small SUV similar to the current Trailblazer, with full-scale development starting this year and production targeted for 2030.The allocation of production sites for this model remains undecided. The union has prioritized new car allocation in this year's labor negotiations, but GM headquarters has not disclosed specific production plans.Industry analysts believe that since the 9B.2 is a next-generation project that will inherit GM's small SUV platform '9B.1', it is likely to be produced at either Korea GM or Shanghai GM. Currently, Korea GM handles exports to North America, while Shanghai GM manages domestic sales in China. In the first half of this year, Korea GM exported approximately 270,000 units of the Trax crossover and Trailblazer to North America.However, both Korea and China GM are facing challenges in securing new production volumes, leading to inevitable internal competition. Shanghai GM has restructured its production base, closing its Shenyang plant last year due to poor sales and external uncertainties. Similarly, Korea GM has seen increased uncertainty regarding long-term production volumes after canceling a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) development project that was initiated in 2024.The Korea GM union is emphasizing the domestic production allocation of the new vehicle as a key demand in this year's labor negotiations. With the main models, the Trax crossover and Trailblazer, expected to be discontinued between 2029 and 2032, securing a successor model is seen as critical for the factory's long-term competitiveness.An industry insider stated, "GM operates a global new car allocation program, reviewing the productivity, cost competitiveness, and market conditions of each production site before making final decisions on production locations. Competition to secure successor models is inevitable."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-22 18:12:00